did WWII USN sub crew ever wear A2 leather jackets?

[green papaya]

I saw a movie called TORPEDO RUN

and they were wearing WWII leather A2 flight jackets in the submarine

did some navy officers wear A2 style jackets ? on subs / ships?

I think Gen Douglas MacArthur preffered wearing the A2

 

[Diamondback]

Don't know about subs, but I can confirm that the A-2 was Mac's jacket of choice. (And his single most-treasured piece of uniform after his field marshal's cap.)

Probably wouldn't expect to see many A-2s on anyone except aviators and generals/admirals. (There was probably a lot of wheeling and dealing that let others get 'em, but they were only officially issued to those two groups IIRC.)

Even then, an A-2 still has some bulk to it, and submarine corridors were tight spaces--were I on a fleet-boat and with an A-2, the only time I'd wear it would be when headed abovedeck, otherwise I'd just be in shirtsleeves. Those boats could get a little warm inside, too...

 

[Fletch]

All of which begs the question how Navy blackshoes got their hands on any flight jackets, let alone Army ones.

I suppose they could have finagled some ANJ-3s (Army/Navy Jacket Type 3, basically a bellows-back A-2), but there were so few made, even most airmen never saw one.

 

[bgbdesign]

It would not be too difficult for a sub commander to have a G-1 flight jacket- in fact I think I remember seeing a photo somewhere showing a submarine officer with one.

When there was enough shiny stuff in the form of rank resting on the shoulders a lot of "against regulation" things could happen.

The higher you go up in rank the less people there are to tell you you are not authorized to wear that leather jacket!

bb

 

[Diamondback]

Also, I wouldn't doubt that a lot of things went on, far from Nimitz's and Lockwood's eyes way out in the WestPac, that wouldn't have been "officially approved" but individual skippers tacitly allowed.

 

[Harp]

The higher you go up in rank the less people there are to tell you you are not authorized to wear that leather jacket!

bb

The Airborne did what it wanted.

 

[Fletch]

That's as may be, but the Airborne didn't serve in the big tin fish.

Now German U-boaters wore entire leather suits. Either they really wanted to keep the diesel oil off, or they had a little more going on down there than just torpedoing shipping.

 

[Diamondback]

Well, leather does make a good burn-pad when you're in contact with hot stuff...

(For example, modern fastroping gloves for rappelling from choppers are made with thick leather palm-pads to prevent friction burns; it seems genuine leather's the only stuff that works for some reason.)

 

[greyhound68]

The Airborne did what it wanted.

Actually Airborne (officers) were authorized to wear A2s (in non combat situations). Band of Brothers is a good example of that. Of course some trading went on with the other ranks (i.e., jump boots for an A2 for example). So some of the enlisted ranks got one as well. As far as the original topic of this thread I have never seen evidence of a submariner having an A2 which doesn't mean someone did manage to get one. I have seen evidence of the G-1 jacket worn by a submariner. This is more likely as one could get those through Navy stores.

 

[Jacob Dubow]

It makes total sense that MacArthur would wear an A-2.......after all, he was a U.S. ARMY commanding officer. Thus he directly commanded the U.S. Army Air Force units in his area of operation.

For Navy personnel to wear Army Air Force issue clothing does not make sense, unless it was the result of frontline "horsetrading" that may have taken place.

 

[BellyTank]

Probably.
There's probably at least one instance of just about every odd thing
happening in WW2.

But for the most part- it's a movie thing.
Heros gotta look cool and tough.

An A-2 is not bulky at all but would be damn near useless as any type of protective or warm garment at sea.


B
T

 

[Diamondback]

Actually, IIRC most of the Army's generals were issued A-2s, whether they chose to wear 'em or not's a horse of a different color.

I'd suspect that given how in-demand they were by everybody, giving them to generals was another status symbol for their rank.

 

[Fletch]

[...]for the most part- it's a movie thing.
Heros gotta look cool and tough.

And an M-422A doesn't look cool and tough? What, is it that fluffy-lamby collar? Too much tailoring? Too many letters in the model name?

 

[BellyTank]

If you say so.

B
T